Take your sandwich game to the next level with this pork and cheese loaded hot Cuban Sandwich Recipe. With grilled crispy bread, melted cheese, and flavorful pork, you’ll be left wanting more!
I’m a major fan of pork. As much as I make chicken for dinner, pork is a close second – especially when it’s my family’s favorite pork chop recipes or a crazy good sandwich. I love meat sandwiches but they are even better warm and toasty like this Cuban Sandwich. This panini-like sandwich is delicious! It’s packed with flavor from the Cuban pork, strong Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and yellow mustard. Now, this is a sandwich perfect for a relaxed dinner or a top-notch lunch.
CUBAN SANDWICH RECIPE
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You can’t go wrong with a sandwich made up of meat, cheese, and crispy bread. While classic deli turkey sandwiches are good, one with freshly cooked meat like French Dip Sandwiches or Grilled Chicken Sandwiches are even better and makes for a great dinner. Cuban Sandwiches fit the bill and are definitely a new favorite in our home.
What is a Cuban sandwich
- A Cuban Sandwich or Cubano is a grilled sandwich that originated in Florida. It’s made with ham, roasted pork, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes even salami.
What kind of bread do you use for a Cuban sandwich
- Traditional recipes call for Cuban bread. It’s similar to French or Italian bread and is made in long loaves, but Cuban bread uses a little fat in the dough and has a slightly different baking method.
- It can be hard to find at your local stores, but there are recipes online and I’ve luck at my local Wal-Mart sometimes too.
What kind of mustard to use on a Cuban sandwich
- Yellow mustard is the go-to for this recipe, but if you want to get a fancy you could use Dijon mustard instead. The bite of vinegar and tang from the mustard really makes this sandwich so don’t skim!
If you’ve ever seen the movie Chef you probably got a craving for this Cuban pork sandwich like I did. They made it sound like the best sandwich ever in the movie and I’m inclined to agree.
How to make a Cuban sandwich
- The first step is to cook the pork. With the help of your pressure cooker, this is a cinch. You’ll start out by using the saute function to heat up the oil and then braise the seasoned pork with the onions and garlic. You’ll cook it for about 2 minutes per side and then add in the chicken broth, orange juice, and lime juice. Pressure cook it on high for 20 minutes followed by a 15-minute natural release. Now you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches.
- Slice the bread in half and then brush the insides with the juice from the pork.
- Next, start layering on half the cheese, ham, sliced pork, salt and pepper, and then the rest of the cheese. The cheese acts as the glue to the sandwich plus it tastes delicious so don’t be skimpy.
- Lastly, add the dill pickles and spread mustard on the inside of the top bun. Close the sandwich and then cut the sandwich as needed so it can all fit on your grill or fry pan.
This sandwich is pretty much like a panini so you can also use a panini maker if you have one, but if not, a grill pan or fry pan works great. Lightly brush the pan with oil and then place the sandwich on and then add another heavy pan or a pizza stone on top. You just want to weigh it down to compress it. It will continue to compress as it cooks. Grill it for 5-7 minutes on each side and then it’s ready to serve.
Make this for lunch this weekend or put it on the dinner menu for the family. Serve it with a side of crunchy kettle potato chips and some fruit or veggies and dip for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Still hungry? Try these other amazing sandwiches!
- Grilled Pesto Chicken Sandwich
- Crock-Pot Meatball Sandwich
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Beer French Dip Sandwiches
- Fish Fillet Sandwich with Homemade Tartar Sauce
- More dinner recipes…
Tools used to make this Cuban Sandwich recipe
Instant Pot: This all-in-one cooker is the best thing I’ve put on my countertop! It’s a pressure cooker, slow cooker, makes rice in minutes, and more!
Pastry Brush: I keep a few of these brushes on hand. They’re great for glazing, layering on butter and oils, and basting while cooking!
Grill Pan: This pan is a great way to get that charred, grilled flavor on foods right on your stove top!
Cast Iron Skillet: This cast iron skillet is one of my most treasured pieces of cookware. I’ve had mine for years and make everything from breakfast to dinner and dessert in it!
Ingredients
For the Pork:
- 1 ½ pounds pork shoulder roast
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ yellow onion sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 lime juiced
For the Sandwiches:
- 4 ounces honey ham deli sliced
- 6 slices Swiss cheese
- ½ cup dill pickles
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 8 ounces French bread sliced in half
Instructions
- Cut pork in two and rub with salt, cumin, and oregano.
- Heat oil in a bottom of a pressure cooker set to the saute function. Add the garlic and red chili pepper and cook until fragrant. Add the pork and onions and brown on all sides. Add the orange juice and lime juice, cover, and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes followed by a 15 minutes natural release.
- Slice pork thin and reserve some of the juices. Brush juice on the inside of the bread.
- On the bottom slice of the loaf, layer on 3 slices of cheese, ham, pork, sprinkle with salt and pepper, 3 more slices of cheese, pickles, and spread the mustard on the inside of the top bread loaf. Cut the sandwich in half.
- Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat and brush with oil. Place the sandwiches on the pan and place another heavy pan on top to weigh it down. Cook on both sides for 6-7 minutes until cheese is melted and grill marks form on bread. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Ray Ellis says
Made this recipe and only change I added some mayo. Also used Cuban bread. Delicious.
rachel frampton says
My dad is craving a Cuban sandwich, which is why I’ve decided to start looking for a recipe that I may use. Thank you for suggesting here that pork must be seasoned with onions and garlic before cooking it for two minutes. You’ve suggested excellent tips, but maybe it would be best to look for a Cuban restaurant since I haven’t perfected this yet. https://soncubanonj.com/